Volunteers took delight in dispensing to the Crisis at Christmas guests who returned this week to collect their glasses, with frames kindly donated by Specsavers and lenses and glazing by EssilorLuxottica.
The opticians and eyecare service is provided each year in London by Vision Care for Homeless People in collaboration with Crisis, with much support from the optical community.
Powers ranged from +9.5D to -13D amongst the 138 pairs of specs produced for the grateful recipients.
While some of the team had been volunteering for 12 years, new recruit, Penny Ardley, a dispensing optician from St Albans, joined the team for the first time. “A colleague told me about volunteering and it seemed a great day to come along. Everyone is extremely friendly and very grateful. It is good to see a different aspect of optics, and I plan to volunteer at clinics every Monday this year.”
Sahid Uddin, who lost one eye in an attack some years ago, is pictured with the volunteers – left to right: Debra Farbey; Jane Partridge, CLO; Penny Ardley FBDO; and Tazeen Haider, optometrist.
Romualdos Visokal from Lithuania was delighted with his specs. “Very kind people have helped me. It is so good – I couldn’t read anything before I got these glasses.”
Find out about volunteering and helping to set up a new clinic in your area by visiting: www.visioncarecharity.org
